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Poor oral health ‘increases risk of liver cancer’

People with poor oral health are more likely to develop
liver cancer, according to a study from Queen’s University Belfast.

The investigation, which involved over 450,000 people
across the UK, discovered that people who fail to look after their teeth and
gums are up to 75% more likely to develop cancer of the liver.

The potentially life-threatening disease is the latest in
a long line of health conditions to be linked with poor oral hygiene. Chronic
diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes have also been linked with
common oral health problems.

“Taking a relatively small amount of time each day to
keep a clean and healthy mouth can make you far less likely to encounter some serious
conditions in the future,” he stated.

The measures of poor oral health used in the study
included painful or bleeding gums and loose teeth – both associated with gum
disease.

Liver cancer is the sixth biggest cancer killer in
Europe, claiming the lives of almost 60,000 people each year.

Dr Haydée WT Jordão, lead author of the study from
Queen’s University Belfast, explained that when the liver is affected by
diseases, such as hepatitis or cancer, its function will decline and bacteria
will survive for longer and therefore have the potential to cause more harm.

“One bacteria, Fusobacterium nucleatum, originates in the
oral cavity but its role in liver cancer is unclear. Further studies
investigating the microbiome and liver cancer are therefore warranted,” he
said.